Filament drier



Dec. 8, 1942. .1 J; FRANKLIN 2,304,685

FILAMENT DRIER Filed Nov. 25, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 De@ 8, 1942- J. J. FRANKLIN 2,304,685

FILAMENT DRIER Filed Nov. 25, 1940 4 sheets-sheet :s

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8, 1942. .1. .1. FRANKLIN FILAMENT DRIER Filed Nov. 25, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented Dec.'8, 1942 UNITED STATES A PATENT OFFICE- l r'1LAilst'flmlntY Y o ohn Jay Franklin, Philadelphia, Pa., assignorto Proctor & Schwartz, Incorporated,

Phila delphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 25, 1940, Serial No. 367,131

.15 Claims.

This invention relates to the drying of wetpackagelaments, i. e., filaments which have been respectively wound into packages, with each package composed of successive circular vsuperposed layers, and with each layer consisting of a series of convolutions or turns of the lament. In this form the lament is subjected to dyeing, bleaching, washing or other processing from which the package emerges with the filament in*` a wet or moist condition throughout the whole of the bulk of the package.

K order to replace a full dry' package by an empty core element on the spindle of the dry Winder.

Another objectief the invention is to concentrate impingement of a suitable gaseous drying medium directly against the convolutions .of the Y filament forming the exposed surface of the Wet package,vwhereby drying ofthe filament is com- The present invention embodies-basic principles for drying wet-package filaments as dis` closed in the common assigneesv copending appli-i cation of Alpheus O. Hurxthal, Harold (iL-Black and Phillips K. Schwartz, Serial No. 322,022, filed March '2, 1940, which issued, as Patent No. 2,264,207.' A,

It has been common practice todplace a large number of the wet filament packages in a heated Vchamber 'at one time for simultaneously drying the packages; and to rewind or backwind the filaments from the respective packages, after the packages have been dried, onto the bobbins,

spools, tcones, etc., for future use. This methodrequires two separate handlings of each package, 4, i. eL, one'to install each'package on and another to remove the package from the rack, etc., on which the packages are supported in the drier.

This method also requires the installation and maintenance of a large expensive drier which occupies considerable iioor space. Furthermore,

the bulk drying method requires twelve to twenty Y hours in the drier and is not'- particularly in'- ductive to uniform drying throughout the wholeV of the bulk of lament contained in a package. The packages frequently vary from bone dry exteriors to 15% to 20% moisture content `in the interior portions of the respective packages.

'I'he primary object of the present inventionis to backwind the filaments directly from the wet packages onto the bobbins, spools or cones, etc.,

on which the filaments are normally wound after pleted in and as it leaves the convolutions of the layer, exposed to the iniluence of the drying medium, and whereby evaporation of moisture from the filament forming the underlying v.layers begins before the respective layers become successively. exposed to the direct impingements` of thefdrying medium, such initial 'evaporation occurring as a result of the inuence yof the drying medium progressively penetrating to thek interior of the package as the exposed layers aresuccessively removed from the package.

The invention is having a plurality of winding heads which, while normally operating simultaneously, may be independently stopped without 'interfering with the normal operation of other winding units of the Y' machine. Another ,objectv of the invention, there-1 fore, is to maintain a constant flow of drying medium to -the impingementvnozzles respectively operating against a pluralityof packages `simultaneously; and to withdraw any one of the wet packages from the zone of influence of the impingement nozzles, without interrupting the flow through the nozzles adapted to direct the drying medium against the withdrawn package, if and when interruption of the withdrawal of the fila-,-v

ment from that particular package occurs under circumstances noted above, .whereby the temperature, volumeand/or humidity of the drying medium being circulated through the appa- Vratus will remain constant at all times.

It will be understood thatthesize, character,

s and density of the lament yam or thread being dried and backwound, under the principles of the -present invention, will determine the rate at which the filament is withdrawn from` the wet package and wound on the dry package, and also the temperature of the drying medium employed, as heavy, hard, twisted laments com-A posed of animal or vegetable bres will require greater, drying time and higher temperatures than light weight and/or soft, twisted yarns, while laments of a synthetic nature, of large. and

small diameters respectively, may require still different speed and temperature regulations. For these reasons,any dry Winder to which the apv paratus of the present invention is to be applied adaptable to a dry winder Y v speed controlling means Vspeed of the machine; ployed for creating and should be equipped with a suitable conventional for varying the winding and the apparatus emcirculating the currents of drying medium tothe impingement nozzles should be provided with a suitable conventional means for controlling the temperature and humidity of the drying medium in circulation.

The present invention particularly concerns an apparatus adaptedto be associated with a conventional backwinding machine, for drying the filaments of a plurality of wet packages simultaneously, as the filaments are being respectively Withdrawn from the Wet packages and individually wound, in a dry condition, on bobbins, spools, cones or other core elements mounted on the respective spindles of the winding machine; and to apparatus associated with and operated by the stop motion of each Winding head of thevwinding machine for removing the wet package from the zone Aof inuence of the drying medium at any one of the plurality of winding heads of the machine at which the winding operation is interrupted.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a drying apparatus adapted for association with a conventional double-bank winding machine; Y.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of one side of the f drying apparatus as associated, diagrammatically,

with one'of the Winding heads of the winding machine. the section being ktaken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vation taken on the line Wet package in normal dryingrposition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the wet package removed from the zone of influence of the drying medium;

Fig. 5 isa sectional plan 55, Fig. 3; y f

Fig. `6 is a plan view of the unit shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 -is a transverse sectional'elevation drawn to an enlarged scale and taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 8-8, Fig. '1.

InFig. 2, there is sufiicient of one of the winding heads of a conventional double-bank winding machine shown to ,illustrate the principles of the present invention as applied to such machines. The shaft supporting and rotating all of the driving drums I, along one side of the double-bank winding machine, is shown at 2. The spindle for supporting a core b of a dry ypackage B is shown at 3.

The spindle 3 is carried by an arm 4 which is pivoted [at 5 to any rigid part of the frame of the machine. Also pivoted at 5 is a knock-out lever 6 which has a lug 1 adapted to engage a lug 8 on the arm 4 to rock the arm 4 and lift the package B o the driving drum I, when the filament a breaks or when the package B contains a predetermined amount of the filament a.

A spring 9 having one end secured to Y,a rigid part f the machine anditsooppositeuend. secured to an armlll of thevleverntends-to rock view taken on the line the'lever` 6 to lift the packageB. The leverl is held-in anormal position to resist the Aaction of the vspring 9,;by a latch II having.. a, shoulder I2`engaging a-shoulder I3 on the lever 6.

VThelatch II1 has an arm I4 attached thereto which is engaged at its outer end'by the' lal ment a, intermediate a xed guide I and the traverse I6 by which the lament a is laid back 75 longitudinal sectional ,ele- 'Y 3-3, Fig. l, with the contact with the drum I as thepackage increases in diameter. and carries the lug 8 of the arm 4 away from the lug 1 of the lever B.

When the package B attains a predetermined diameter, an arm I8 forming part of the arm 4, engages a collar I9 on a trip rod 20 and rocks the latch II to release the lever 6, whereupon the spring 9 rocks the lever 6 until its lug 1 engages the'lug 8 on the arm 4, after which the lever 6 rocks the arm 4 until the package B is raised clear of the drum I, thereby stopping rotation of the package.

The tension of the filament a between the guide I5 and traverse I6 normally holds the stop motion lever ina normal position against the action of a spring 2| which has one of its Yends securedto the latch II and its opposite end secured to a xed part of the machine. Ii the filament a breaks, or the wet package A becomes exhausted, the stoplever I4 is released and the latch II is rocked by the r,spring 2| to release the lever E, whereupon the lever 9 acts to stop the rotation of the package B, in the manner above noted.

'I'he operation of the mechanism above described is typical, in general principle, to the actions of any o f the well known winding or backwinding machines in'generai use. The description and diagrammatic illustration of the winding machine thereof is'provided merely for the purpose of illustration of that type of device and is not to be considered as imposing any limitations on the drying apparatus forming the subject of the present invention as hereinafter described.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the apparatus of the present invention includes an air box 25 for each side of the double-bank winding machine. Each air box 25 includes a wet-packf age well 26 for each winding head on the side of the winding machine with which the air box 25Y is associated. g

Each air box 25 is formed with insulated front, back and bottom closure walls 21, 28, 29 and top 30. In the insulated top `30 there is an opening for each wet-package well 26, covered by a removable insulated lid 3l.

Each well 26fis formed of a cylinder 32 extending from the top 30 of the air box 25 to a transverse horizontal partition 33 disposed approximately midway between the top 30 and bottom 29 of the air box. The transverse partition 33 extends from end to -end of the air box 25 and from the frontV wall 21 to a vertical longitudinal partition 34 spaced vfrom the back Wall 28 of the air box to form the interior of the air box intortwo longitudinally extending air conduits 35 andv36.

At opposite sides respectively of each well casing 32; adjacent the top 30 there is located a pair of bearings 31, 31 and invertical alignment therewith, :adiacentv the :partition i33,A is YVa similar pair ofv bearings 38," A38. Slidably mounted inthe bearings y31-4-'38 isa' pai'rof slideor elevatorrods 39, '39, the-upperi'ends of Whichfare, securedin the well lid 3I (Figsin"and:;4).while the lower Secured to lthe' center? of lthe yoke-40andprojecting vertically therefrom, intermediate and parallel to the rods 39, 39, is a package supporting rod 4|, on which is a package .stop collar 42 and a horizontal disc below the former.

within the wen 2s is a vpair or rings and 45, throughvwhich the rods 39, 39v extend, leave ing free central circular openings `4|iand 41 in the rings 44 and 45 respectively. 7

43, with' the latter disposed .v

The ring 44 is secured to theinners surface of the well tube and the ring 45 islikewise secured to the inner surface of the well tube 32 intermediate the partition 33 and top 30 of the air box 25.

Vertical nozzles 48, through the Ycircular wall of -the well tubev 32 (Fig. 5) as slots extending from the horizontal partition ring 44 to the horizontal partition ring 45 (Figs. 3 and 4), with the opposite side walls of the slots converging inwardly toward theV center of the well. Y Y

The partition 33 is provided with an opening of the same diameter as the interior of the well tube 32, in axial alignment therewith to afford communicationbetween the interior of the well and the conduit 36 for air or other gaseous drying medium entering the interior of the well from the conduit 35 through the nozzle slots As shown in Figs. l, 7 and 8, the air boxes 25, 25 are attached to anr air circulator and conditioner 58, which includes a lower box-like structure 5| providedY with an dividing the interior'thereo-into compartments 53 and 54 respectively. a

The conduits 35, 35 of the air boxes 25, 25 respectively communicate with the compartment 53, while the conduits 36, 36'of the air boxes 25, 25 communicate with the compartment 54.

32 adjacent the partition 33;

48'ar'e formed in and j package A inv proper'position for The loose end of the filament of package A is` threaded through aguide eye 13 in the lid3'l` of the Ywell 26 and is passed over a guide 14(Fig. 2) then underthe guidey I5, over the laterally extended end Y15 of thestop motion Wire |74, through the eye of the traverse `|6 and around the core b-for the package B, b'etvlleensaid` core -b and the driving drurnlf` An annular `flange'- .'2 on the plug 10. assists in guidingthe filament a from the package A to the eye 13, especially the wet package angular partition 52 when the package A is Amaterially reduced ink diameter( V c The lever 8 is pressed down and caught' by the latch andthe elevator, including the lid rods `39, 39, yoke ,40,.spindle 4|, package A wind the lament o thereon.l Y

- When the elevator is lowered, as'notedA above, A (Fig. 3) jis 'disposed within the centers of the rings '44 and 45,with the top end of the package slightlyk above the upper ring and the lower Vend of thepackage slightly below the lower ring 44, while the main portion of the package lies between said 'rings adjacent the nozzle slots.v 48, 48.

The heated air being forced through the con- `duit 35 by the air impeller 59, rushes 'through the nozzle slots 48, 48 and impinges upon the outer surface of the package A.

- The conduit 36, being under suction of the limpeller 59, causes the impinging air to pass Above the lower box-like'structure 5| the circulator 50.is'provided which is formed an air with the compartment The air space 56 also Vcommunicates. with the space 56 communicating inlet 51Y of an air impeller casing 58 in which is'V The outlet conduit'63 of the impeller casing 54 ofthe lower box 5|.v

6| and provided with a pulley 62 byf be rotated from any with an extension 55 in f 58 communicates with the compartment 53 of the circulator 50 Vand drives air into said Vcornpartment, under pressure. the compartment 53 into the conduits 35, 35 of the air boxesk 25, 25 respectively and passes through the nozzles y the well casings 32, 32, from which the air passes downwardly into the lconduits 36, 38. The

air entering compartment 54 ofthe circulator 75|, in which are mounted suitable ,coils or other heaters 64, such for example, as the Trane type heater, through which the air passes and is heated in transit. The air passing through the heaters 64 is drawn, by the suction of the impeller 59, from the Vcompartment 54, through theconduit 56 and inlet 51 into the impeller casing 58'for repeat of the circuit. Y

As shown in Fig. 4, a centering plug 10 is rst forced into one endof the perforated core -tube 1| of a wet package A, after which the plug 10 is placed on the central spindleY 4| in the well 26 until the exposed end of the core tube 1| of The air passes from vr 48, 48 into the'interiors of Y the conduits 36, 36 returns to the v downwardly between theinner edge of the ring 44 and the outerfsurface of the package A.

The ring Mir-restricts the'flow of airbetween its inner surface and the outer s'l'irface'o'f' the package A, which retards the drying anclpromotes uniformity ofv moisture content inV the dried filament @especially when" the packageA yis still large. f

The whole of the outside surface of the pack# age A'comes within the zoneof influence ofthe drying air and said air effects drying of those portions of the filamentva which constitute the outer layer of the package A.j f

The packages A are usually, sarily, of the cross-wound type, which produces interstices into which the drying air can and does penetratek below the extreme outermostlayer of Thus, with the outer llayer comthe filament.

the influences of the drying air,

pletely exposed to it becomes `thoroughly dryr and yis progressively removed, convolution after convolution, by the lament a being wound, in a dry state, on'the package B. Y

As the convolutions of Vthe outer layer of vthe lament a are successively removed from the package A, the next underlying layer Ybecomes completely exposed tothe influences of the dry#- ing air and the drying air penetrates deeper and deeper into the heart of the package as layer after layer is removed `from the outside of the package. The air penetrating the package throughV the interstices thereof effects initialv evaporation of moisture from the package for a.

distance of a vfew layers successively underlying the outermost layer. Consequently, vwhen a layer becomes completely exposed, its finishing drying is effected almost instantly, due to the pre-evaporation of moisture therefrom while occupying theposition of an underlying layer.

though not neces- It, during the winding of a dry package B,the filament a should break, the wire I4 will be released and the spring' 2l will operate the latch I I to release the lever 6, whereupon the spring' 8 will swing the lever 6 upwardly and carry the partially wound package away from the driving drum l. At the same time, the wet package A will be moved out of the zone of influence rof the drying air passing into the well 26 th'rough the nozzle slots 48,48, asl shown in Fig. 4, to prevent drying of the package while there are no convolutions of the filamento being withdrawn therefrom, thus eliminating excessive drying of thev lament.

As shown in Fig. 4,when the package A is -moved out of the zone of influence of theY drying medium, the disc 43 assumes a position in the plane of the upper ring 45 in the well 26, thereby closing the upper portion of the well in which the package Als then located from the lower portion of said well, which latter remains in communicavtion with the return or suction conduit 38 in the air box 25. Thus the circulation of the drying air remains constant and retains its proper predetermined temperature.

'I'he raising of the wet package A from its drying position (Fig. 3) to its non-drying'position (Fig. 4) is effected automatically'wh'en the stop motion latch I I is operated, either by the wire I4, when the lament a breaks, or by the trip rod 20, when a package B assumes a predetermineddiameter.

The carrier for the package A is elevated by a chain o1 equivalent flexible connector 80 having one end connected to the lid 3l and its opposite end connected to a piston rod 8l of a piston 82 operating in a cylinder 83 by compressed air, steam, etc., from a live pressure line 84 through a branch line 85, three-way valve 86, and a pipe 81 connecting the three-way yalve to one end of the cylinder` 83. e

The three-way valve 86 has an operating lever 88 to the Aouter end of which is connected an operating rod 88. A pair of relatively spaced collars 8l and 82 are secured to the rod 88 at opposite sides respectively of. a lug 80 which is carried by the lever 6.

When the stop motion latch Il is released and permits the spring 8 to raise the lever 6, the lug 88 engages the collar 8| which raiseshthe rod 88 and operates the valve 86 to permit pressure to flow from the line 84into the cylinder 83 between the head S3 at one end thereof and the piston 82.

The piston moves in the cylinder 83 and through the piston rod 8l and chain 80 lifts the lid 3| andthe other elements connected thereto which constitute the elevator for the wet package A. Th'e elevator elements and the package A are raised from their respective positions in Fig. 3 to their positions shown in Fig. 4 and remain in this latter position throughoutk the duration of the period of interruption of winding the filament a on a dry package B.

When the cause of the interruption has been corrected and the lever B is depressed by the operator to set the windingunit into operation again, the lug 90 on the lever 6 engages the collar 82 on the valve operating rod 88 and operates the three-way valve 86 to cut off the flow of operating fluid from the piston cylinder 83 and to exhaust the fluid from the cylinder between the head 83 and piston 82, whereupon the elevator for the package A will descend by gravity, assisted, if desired, by additional weight or spring iniiuence,

to return the package A from its idle non-drying Vposition (Fig. 4) to its active drying position the invention, as it will be understood that the v illustration in the drawings is merely for the purpose of showing a workable connection between the package winding unit and the drying unit cooperating therewith to dry the filament as it is drawn from the wet package and wound on the dry package.

As shown in Fig. 5, there are four nozzle slots 48, 48 employed in the wall of each well casing 32, although three slots may be used and in some instances at least the smaller number is preferable. The lament a is withdrawn from the package A at a uniform rate of speed. When the package A is large, there is a greater number of yards in each layer of the filament a. than when the package A is small in diameter. By using a small number of nozzle slots, the air from each slot impinges upon but a relatively small percentage of the external surface of the package A. As the diameter of the package decreases, the range of each nozzle covers a relatively larger percentage Vof the outside area of the package. When the package` is larger, it takes a greater amount of time to remove the outer layer of the filament a .from the package than when the package is of smaller diameter. Consequently, with a small number of nozzles respectively impinging upon small percentages of the exterior surface of a large package, the drying is slower. This slower drying takes place at the time when it requires a greater amount of time to remove the outer layer from the package. As the package gets smaller, and the time the outer layer is exposed to the air emitted from the nozzles decreases proportionately, the percentage of the areaY of the outer layer. falling within the range of each noz- Yzle becomes greater, thus'the drying of the outer layersof smaller diameters is quickened. This results in uniform drying of the layers of large, small and intermediate diameters as the filament a is unwound from the package A at a uniform linear speed.

I claim:

l. The process which consists in exposing a surface of a package of wet filament to a drying medium to dry the filament on said exposed surface, withdrawing the filament progressively from said surface, and withdrawing said package fromthe influence of said medium upon interruption of the withdrawal of said filament from said package.

2. The process which consists in directing a series of jets of drying medium against the'outer surface of a cylindrical package of wet filament from positions relatively spaced about the axis of the package, withdrawing the filament progressively from said outer surface, and bodily withdrawing the package axially beyond the influence of said `iets upon interruption of the withdrawal of the filament from the package.

3. The process which consists in directing a 4. The process which consists in directing a' series of jets of drying medium against the outer surface of a cylindrical package of wet 'filament from positions relatively spaced about the axis of the package, confining the medium impinged upon the outer surface of the package within a predetermined area surrounding the package, exhausting the medium axially of the package from one end of said area, withdrawing the filament progressively from said outer surface of the package, bodily withdrawing the package axially in a direction opposite to the direction of exhausting said medium to a position beyond the infiuence of said jets upon interruption of the withdrawal of the filament from the outer surface of the package, and sealing off the area normally occupied by the package during said Withdrawal of said filament from the area occupied by the package after said bodily axial movement thereof.

5. The process which consists in maintaining a body of drying medium in constant circulation in a predetermined circuit, placing a package of wet filament in a predetermined position in said circuitl to expose the outer surface of the package to the infiuence of said circulating drying medium, withdrawing the filament progressively from the exposed surface of the package, and bodily withdrawing the package from said circuit and the infiuence of said drying medium therein upon interruption of the withdrawal of the filament from the exposed surface of the package.

6. The process which consists in drying a filament on an exposed surface of a wet package of said filament in the presence or" a constantly circulating drying medium, winding said filament into the form of a dry package directly from said exposed surface of said Wet package, and withdrawing said wet package bodily from the influence of said circulating medium, without disrupting said circulation, simultaneously with any interruption in said winding. Y Y

'7. The combination of .mechanically actuated means for drying a filament on an exposed surface of a wet package formed of said filament, means for winding said filament into the form of a dry package directly from said exposed surface of said wet package, means for interrupting said winding, and means operable by said winding means interrupting means for rendering said drying means ineffective.

8. The combination of mechanically actuated means for drying a filament on an exposed surface of a wet package formed of said4 filament,

means for winding said filament into the formy of a dry package directly from said exposed surface of said wet package, and means controlled by the portion of said filament in transit between said Wet and dry packages for interrupting said winding means and for rendering said drying means 'ineffective simultaneously.

9. The combination of mechanically actuated means for drying a filament on an exposed surface of a Wet package formed of said filament, means for winding said filament into the form of a dry package directly from said exposed surface of saidwet package, a stop motion mechanism` comprising an elementy controlled by the portion of said filament in transit between said wet and dry packages for interrupting said winding means, and means operable by said stop motion mechanism for rendering said drying means ineffective.

10. The combination of mechanically actuated means for drying a filament on an exposed surface of a wet package formed of said filament, means for winding said filament into the form of a dry package directly from said exposed surface of said wet package, a stop motion mecha--l nism for interrupting said winding means, and means operable by said stop motion mechanism for rendering said drying means ineffective.

11. The combination of lmechanically actuated n means for drying a filament on an exposed surface of a Wet package formed f said filament, means for simultaneously withdrawing said filament from said surface, and means controlled by the portion of said lament in transit between said wet package and said withdrawing means for rendering said drying means ineffective when said controlled means operates as a result of interruption of said withdrawing.

12. The combination of means for circulating a drying medium in a predetermined circuit, means defining the course of the drying medium circulating in said circuit means supporting a wet package of filament in said circuit to dry the outer surface of said package, means for simultaneously withdrawing the filament from said outer surface of said package, and means for moving said package bodily beyond the confines of said predetermined circuit upon interruption of withdrawal of the filament from'the package.

13. The combination of an air box provided with an adjacent pair of 'air circulating conduits, a well casing in one of said conduits with one of its ends communicating with the second of said conduits and its second end communicating with Ythe exterior of the air box, air nozzles in the wall of said well for directing air from said one conduit into and through said well to said second conduit, means for circulating air through said conduits,said well and said nozzles, and an elevator operable axially of and" within said well casing for supporting a filament package thereon and for moving said package into and out of the zone of infiuence of the air entering said Well casing through said nozzles.

k14:. The combination of an air box provided with an adjacent pair of air circulating conduits, a well casing in one of said conduits with one of its ends communicating with the second of said conduits and its second end communicating With the exterior of the air box, air nozzles in the wall of said well for directing air from said one conduit into and through said well to said second conduit, means for circulating air through said conduits, said well and said nozzles, an elevator operable axially of and within said well casing for supporting a filament packagethereon and for moving said package into and out of the Zone of infiuence of the air entering said -well casing through said nozzles, and a lid carried by said elevator and normally closing the second said end of said well casing while the package is in said zone.

15. The combination of an air box provided with an adjacent pair of air circulating conduits, a Well casing in one of said conduits with one of its ends communicating with the second of said conduits and its secondend communicating with the exterior of the air box, air nozzles in the Wall of said Well for directing air from said one conduit into and through said well to said second conduit, means for circulating air through said conduits, said well and said nozzles, an elevator operable axially of and within said well casing for supporting a lament package thereon and for moving said package into and 10 ZOI'le.

out of the zone of influence of the air entering said well casing through said nozzles, a lid carried by said elevator above said yarn package and normally closing the secondsaid end JOHN JAY FRANKLIN, 

